NFAI presents 'Stree: A Tribute to Womanhood in Indian Cinema' at the 48th IFFI

Established in 1964, National Film Archive of India (NFAI) is the premier organization under Govt. of India. It has one of the largest film archives in the world. NFAI has a huge collection of Photographs, Wallposters, Song Booklets, Pamphlets, and other memorabilia pertaining to Indian cinema. At the 2017 IFFI, NFAI has curated an exhibition titled 'Stree: A Tribute to womanhood in Indian Cinema' which showcases the transformation of women through the decades as seen through films, celebrating the different shades of womanhood.

Over the years, Indian films have portrayed the Indian woman in various shades and hues, taking on the issues like gender discrimination, prostitution, child marriage, widow re-marriage, rehabilitation of widows, domestic violence, dowry system, unequal marriage, physical disabilities, unwed motherhood, sati, female education, equal rights and equal justice, etc.

As early as the 1930s we had films like Sairandri (1933), Achut Kanya (1936), Mukti (1937), and Kunku (1937) which offered a considerably progressive outlook. Since then over the years we have had films like Sevasadan (1939), Dahej (1950), Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), Gejje Pooje (1970), Abhimaan (1973), Sandhyaraag (1977), Elippathayam (1981) and Daasi (1988).

The exhibition is a tribute to many formidable women who graced the Indian screen with their strong agency: be it Fearless Nadia, Nargis in Mother India, or Madhabi Mukherjee in Charulata.